Chinese telecommunications equipment maker Huawei Technologies plans to spend up to $2 million in the next 18 months on marketing and branding of its products in Zambia.

The company has said its investment in Zambia is projected to reach $500,000 only on brand promotion this year alone.

Huawei Technologies vice director in charge of sales and marketing Charles Gao said at the launch of the new Huawei Ascend Mate smartphone in Zambia that the company is targeting to reach $5 million in sales this year alone.

Huawei’s Ascend Mate is believed to be the world’s largest smartphone with a screen that measures 6.1 inch display.

The smartphones, he said are expected to be available in Zambia next month.

“In 2014, Huawei Technologies will spend a total of between $1 million and $2 million on marketing and branding and once the new smartphones hit the market, they would become Zambia cheapest smartphones,” Gao said.

Gao said the company was targeting to make between $10 million to $20 million by 2014 on the sales of the new smartphones.

The company, Gao said it will in addition to Ascend Mate smartphones launch a number of high quality but affordable smartphones that will suit the Zambian market as the phones are meant to cater for everybody.